T Cell Apoptosis Inducer

ABSTRACT

An inducer of T cell apoptosis and a health food for inducing T cell apoptosis comprising as an active ingredient of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus  Lactobacillus  or the genus  Bifidobacterium  are disclosed. Particularly preferred lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus  Lactobacillus  or the genus  Bifidobacterium  are  Lactobacillus acidophilus  L-92 (FERM BP-4981),  Lactobacillus amylovorus  CP1750 (FERM BP-10532),  Bifidobacterium catenulatum  CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and  Bifidobacterium longum  CP760 (FERM BP-10531). The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the invention is useful in the prevention and cure of a disease such as an organ-specific autoimmune disease or type I allergy.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an inducer of apoptosis of T cells,which comprises a lactic acid bacterial cell as an active component.

BACKGROUND ART

The mammalian immune system protects the host by recognizing bacteria,viruses and kinds of stuff as antigens and eliminating them through theaction of the system. The immune system is roughly classified intocellular immunity and humoral immunity, and the both immune systemsaffect each other to optimize the immune reactions for host defense. Tcells participate to play an important role in the modulation of thefunction of the immune system.

T cells are broadly classified into Th1 and Th2 cells. Th1 cells enhancecellular immunity and Th2 cells enforce humoral immunity. The imbalancein the Th1/Th2 ratio may cause various immune diseases. It is consideredthat when Th1 cells are dominant, an organ-specific autoimmune diseaseoccurs and when Th2 cells are dominant, a type I allergy or relateddiseases occur. Therefore, there has been a requirement for a food, afood additive and a medicine, which are useful for realizing thepotential for maintaining the Th1/Th2 balance.

References cited herein include Ina K. et al., J. Immunol. 163: 1081,1999, Boirivant M. et al., Gastroenterology 116: 557, 1999,Watanabe-Fukunaga R. et al., Nature 356:314, 1992, Akdis M. et al.,FASEB J. 17: 1026, 2003 and Guerra F. et al., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol.107:647, 2001.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and safe meansfor inducing apoptosis of excess T cells that may cause various diseasesand to facilitate the prevention and cure of a disease such as anorgan-specific autoimmune disease or a type I allergy.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on a new finding that when bacterialcells of a specific type of lactic acid bacterial strain is introducedinto a state of excess reactivity of T cells, apoptosis of T cells isinduced.

The present invention provides an inducer of T cell apoptosis comprisingas an active ingredient a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genusLactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium. Furthermore, the presentinvention provides a health food for inducing T cell apoptosiscomprising a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillusor the genus Bifidobacterium.

In another aspect, the present invention provides novel lactic acidbacteria, i.e., Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532),Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacteriumlongum CP760 (FERM BP-10531).

The inducer of T cell apoptosis according to the present invention issafe even if it is orally taken for a long period of time, because oflong experience of usage of lactic acid bacteria as starter cultures forfermentation foods such as yoghurt, pickles and the kind of stuff. Inaddition, it is expected that the inducer of the invention inducesapoptosis of excess T cells to prevent and/or cure an inflammatorydisease, such as an organ-specific autoimmune disease or an allergycaused by excess T cells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows induction of naive T cell apoptosis by a variety of lacticacid bacteria.

FIG. 2 shows a dose-dependent induction of T cell apoptosis byLactobacillus acidophilus L-92.

FIG. 3 shows induction of Th2 cell apoptosis by a variety of lactic acidbacteria.

FIG. 4 shows level of IL-4 produced by Th2 cells treated with a varietyof lactic acid bacteria.

FIG. 5 shows induction of Th1 cell apoptosis by Lactobacillusacidophilus L-92.

FIG. 6 shows induction of apoptosis of T cells in spleen.

FIG. 7 shows induction of apoptosis of T cells in mesenteric lymphnodes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the present invention comprises alactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genusBifidobacterium as an active element. As described in Examples below, itwas observed in a study where lactic acid bacterial cells are added to Tcells derived from spleen cells of mice, showing that such a lactic acidbacterium has an activity of inducing T cell apoptosis.

Examples of the lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genusLactobacillus include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillusamylovorus and kinds of stuff. Examples of the lactic acid bacteriumbelonging to the genus Bifidobacterium include Bifidobacteriumcatenulatum, Bifidobacterium longum and et alia.

As the lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus acidophilus tobe used for the inducer of T cell apoptosis of the present invention, aparticularly preferred bacterium is Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92(deposited on Mar. 4, 1994 under Accession No. FERM BP-4981 atInternational Patent Organism Depositary).

Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 has the following microbiologicalproperties.

(Morphological Properties) 1) Morphology: Rods, 2) Motility: Non, 3)Spore: Non,

4) Gram staining: Positive

(Physiological Properties) 1) Catalase: Negative,

2) Formation of indole: Negative,3) Reduction of nitrate: Negative,4) Attitude to oxygen: Facultative anaerobic,

5) Growth at 15° C.: Non,

6) Formation of DL lactic acid from glucose by homolactic fermentation,Formation of gas: Non7) Formation of acid from sugars:

Glucose + Melibiose − Lactose + Raffinose + Mannose + Mannitol −Fructose + Sorbitol − Galactose + Esculin + Sucrose + Salicin +Arabinose − N-acetylglucosamin + Maltose + Amygdalin + Xylose −Gentiobiose + Rhamnose − Melezitose − Cellobiose + Dextrin − Trehalose +Starch −

In addition, as the lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus tobe used for the inducer of T cell apoptosis in the present invention,another particularly preferred bacterium is Lactobacillus amylovorusCP1750 (FERM BP-10532). Examples of the lactic acid bacterium belongingto the genus Bifidobacterium include Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829(FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERM BP-10531). Thesestrains were isolated from human intestine and have the followingassimilation property.

TABLE 1 Strain Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium Bifidobacterium amylovoruscatenulatum CP2829 longum CP760 CP1750 Accession No. FERM FERM FERMBP-10533 BP-10531 BP-10532 1 Glycerol − − − 2 Erythritol − − − 3D-arabinose − − − 4 L-arabinose + + − 5 Ribose + + − 6 D-xylose + + − 7L-xylose − − − 8 Adonitol − − − 9 β-methyl-D-xyloside − − − 10Galactose + + + 11 Glucose + + + 12 Fructose + + + 13 Mannose − + + 14Sorbose − − − 15 Rhamnose − − − 16 Dulcitol − − − 17 Iinositol − − − 18Mannitol + − − 19 Sorbitol + − − 20 α-methyl-D-mannoside − − − 21α-methyl-D-glucoside − + − 22 N-acetylglucosamine − − + 23 Amygdalin + −− 24 Arbutin + − − 25 Esculin + − − 26 Salicin + − − 27 Cellobiose + + +28 Maltose + + + 29 Lactose + + + 30 Melibiose + + − 31 Saccharose + + +32 Trehalose + − − 33 Inulin − − − 34 Melezitose − + − 35Raffinose + + + 36 Starch − − + 37 Glycogen − − − 38 Xylitol − − − 39Gentiobiose + − + 40 D-turanose + + − 41 D-lyxose − − − 42 D-tagatose −− − 43 D-fucose − − − 44 L-fucose − − − 45 D-arabitol − − − 46L-arabitol − − − 47 Gluconate + − − 48 2-keto-gluconate − − − 495-keto-gluconate − + −

It is known that failure of T cell apoptosis is largely involved inprophylaxis of a disease such as an autoimmune disease or a type Iallergy. For example, in a patient with Crohn's disease, which is one ofthe organ-specific autoimmune diseases, mucosal T cells are resistant toapoptosis (Ina K. et al., J. Immunol. 163: 1081, 1999; Boirivant M. etal., Gastroenterology 116: 557, 1999). In an MRL-lpr/lpr mouse,auto-reactive T cells that should be eliminated by apoptosis undernormal conditions are not eliminated and accumulated in the peripherallymphoid tissues to cause an autoimmune reaction (Watanabe-Fukunaga R.et al., Nature 356:314, 1992). In patients with atopic dermatitis, Th1cells tend to undergo apoptosis and Th2 cells proliferate (Akdis M. etal., FASEB J. 17: 1026, 2003), while in patients with atopic dermatitisreceiving immunotherapy, Th2 cells tend to undergo apoptosis (Guerra F.et al., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 107:647, 2001). In other words, it isbelieved that a disease occurs when excess T cells cannot be eliminatedby apoptosis, and the disease can be cured if appropriate apoptosis canbe induced.

Accordingly, the inducer of T cell apoptosis of the present invention isconsidered to be useful for prevention and treatment of a disease suchas an allergic disease including atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease,rheumatic arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus,scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, vitiligo vulgaris, insulin-dependentdiabetes mellitus, ankylosing spondylitis and Basedow's disease.

The lactic acid bacterium to be used as the inducer of T cell apoptosisof the present invention may be of any strain of the genus Lactobacillusor the genus Bifidobacterium. Any medium may be used for the culture ofsuch a lactic acid bacterium, as long as it can support growth of thelactic acid bacterium, including, for example, media containing animalmilk, skimmed milk, milk whey, MRS medium, GAM medium, BL medium, Briggsliver broth, a synthetic medium and kinds of stuff. The culturetemperature is in the range from 25° C. to 50° C., preferably in therange from 35° C. to 42° C. The culture time is in the range from 3hours to 48 hours, preferably in the range from 8 hours to 20 hours.Further, neutralization culture or filtration culture may be carried outusing any of these media. In addition, as for the fermented lactic acidbacterial cells, the fermented broth may be used as such, or onlybacterial cells may be collected by centrifugation or filtration.Further, the bacterial cells can also be used in the form of lyophilizedbacterial cells. Further, heat-treated bacterial cells, homogenizedbacterial cells and kinds of stuff may also be used. A bacterial cellcomponent is added to any of various food materials, such as drinks,tableted candies, paste, bread and confectionery products to provide ahealth drink, a health food or a functional food. Further, a medicinecontaining the bacterial cell component as an active ingredient may beprovided.

The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the present invention can beformulated into a pharmaceutical preparation by a method well known tothose skilled in the state of art. For example, lactic acid bacterialcells or a processed product thereof can be formulated into apreparation by appropriately combining it with a pharmaceuticallyacceptable carrier or medium, including sterile water, physiologicalsaline, a plant oil, an emulsifying agent, a suspending agent, asurfactant, a stabilizer, a flavor, an excipient, a vehicle, apreservative, a binder, or the kinds of stuff, and mixing them into aunit dosage form required for generally accepted pharmaceuticalpractice.

For oral administration, lactic acid bacterial cells or a processedproduct thereof can be formulated as a tablet, a pill, a sugar-coatedagent, a capsule, a liquid, a gel, a syrup, a slurry, a suspension, orthe kind of stuff by mixing with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrierwell known in the state of art. For parenteral administration, lacticacid bacterial cells or a processed product thereof can be formulatedaccording to standard pharmaceutical practice by using apharmaceutically acceptable vehicle well known in the state of art.

Examples of an appropriate administration route for the inducer of Tcell apoptosis of the present invention include, but not limited to,oral administration, intrarectal administration, transmucosaladministration, intestinal administration, intramuscular injection,subcutaneous injection, intramedullary injection, intrathecal injection,direct intraventricular injection, intravenous injection, intravitreousinjection, intraperitoneal injection, intranasal injection andintraocular injection. The administration route and method can beappropriately selected depending on the patient's age and theirsymptoms. Preferably, the inducer of T cell apoptosis of the presentinvention is orally administered. The administration amount of theinducer of T cell apoptosis of the present invention will depend on theage, body weight, symptoms, therapeutic efficacy, administration method,treatment time or the other conditions, however, it is generally in therange of 1 mg to 1000 mg per dose per adult, and the dose can be orallyadministered once to several times a day. It should be noted that sincethe lactic acid bacterium, i.e. the active component is edible, there isno restriction on the administration amount from the view point ofsafety.

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in more detail withreference to Examples, however, the present invention is not limited tothese Examples.

The disclosure of all patents and documents cited herein are entirelyincorporated herein as reference. The present application claimspriority based on the Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2005-60285 and2005-86546, the disclosure of which is entirely incorporated herein asreference.

The following examples further illustrate the present invention. Theexamples below are not limiting and are merely representative of variousaspects and features of the present invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Preparation of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus and lacticacid bacteria belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium were cultured at37° C. for 18 hours in MRS medium and GAM medium, respectively. Afterthe culture, the lactic acid bacterial cells were collected bycentrifugation, washed and lyophilized. The dried bacterial cells weresuspended in a PBS solution, treated by heating at 100° C. for 10minutes and used in the following experiments.

Example 2 Induction of Apoptosis of Naive T Cells

Preparation of cells: The spleen was excised from a DO11.10TCR-transgenic mouse bearing αβ-T cell receptor (TCR) gene derived froma T cell clone DO11.10 that I-A^(d) restrictively recognizes a regionbetween the 323rd and 339th residues of ovalbumin (hereinafter referredto as OVA), and a single cell suspension was prepared. CD4 microbeads(Militenyi Biotec) suspended in MACS buffer (PBS containing 0.5% bovineserum albumin and 2 mM EDTA) were reacted with the cell suspension at 4°C. for 15 minutes. After the cells were washed, positive selection wascollected using a magnetic separation column (Militenyi Biotec) toprepare CD4-positive T cells. The spleen was excised from a BALB/c mouseand a single cell suspension was prepared. Thy1.2 microbeads (MilitenyiBiotec) suspended in MACS buffer were reacted with the cell suspensionat 4° C. for 15 minutes. After the cells were washed, the negativelyselected cell fraction was collected using a magnetic separation column,and used as antigen-presenting cells.

Culture of cells: The CD4-positive T cells derived from the spleen of aDO11.10 mouse and the antigen presenting cells derived from the spleenof a BALB/c mouse were prepared at 5×10⁵/ml and 1.5×10⁶/ml,respectively, and cultured in RPMI1640 medium (containing 100 units/mlpenicillin, 100 μg/ml streptomycin, 5×10⁻⁵ M mercaptoethanol and 0.03%glutamine) containing 5% fetal bovine serum, and then stimulated with 1mg/ml OVA (Seikagaku Corporation). Heat-killed lactic acid bacterialcells were added (10 μg/ml) and cultured at 37° C. under 5% carbondioxide gas.

Method of detecting apoptosis: The cells cultured for 4 days werecollected and reacted with anti-mouse CD16/32 (FCγIII/II Receptor)antibody (FcBlock™; BD Pharmingen) diluted with FACS buffer (PBScontaining 1% fetal bovine serum and 0.1% sodium azide) at 4° C. for 10minutes to avoid non-specific binding to Fc receptors, and then stainedwith FITC-labeled KJ1.26 (anti-chronotype antibody against DO11.10 Tcell). Then, the cells were stained using Annexin V-PE ApoptosisDetection kit I (BD Pharmingen). The stained cells were detected usingFACS LSR (BD) and the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells inKJ1.26-positive cells was determined.

The test results are shown in FIG. 1. An activity of inducing naive Tcell apoptosis was observed in all the lactic acid bacteria tested.Further, an assay of cytokine in the culture supernatant showed thatIL-2 production was decreased by the antigen stimulation (data notshown).

Example 3 T Cell Apoptosis in Dose-Dependent Manner

The preparation of cells and the detection of apoptosis were carried outin the same manner as in Example 2. The cells were cultured inaccordance with Example 2, except that Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92was used at concentrations of 0.1, 1.0 and 10 μg/ml as heat-killedlactic acid bacterial preparations.

The test results are shown in FIG. 2. It was observed that Lactobacillusacidophilus L-92 induces T cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner.

Example 4 Induction of Th2 Cell Apoptosis

Preparation of Th2 cells: The CD4-positive T cells derived from thespleen of a DO11.10 mouse were prepared at 5×10⁵/ml, and theantigen-presenting cells derived from the spleen of a BALB/c mousetreated with 50 μg/ml mitomycin C (Sigma) at 37° C. for 30 minutes wereprepared at 1.5×10⁶/ml. Then, 5 μg/ml anti-mouse IL-12 antibody (cloneC17.8) and 2 ng/ml recombinant mouse IL-4 were added to the culturemedium and the cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence of 1 mg/mlOVA. Then, the cells were collected and used as Th2 cells. The method ofculturing cells and the method of detecting apoptosis are the same asthose in Example 2.

Assay of IL-4

Fifty microliters of an anti-IL-4 antibody (clone: 11B11, BD Pharmingen)solution diluted to 1 μg/ml in 0.1 M Na₂HPO₄ were added to animmunoplate (Nunc), and the plate was left overnight at 4° C., wherebythe plate was coated with the antibody. After the wells were washed withPBS containing 0.05% Tween 20 (PBS-Tween), 100 μl of a 1% BSA/PBS-Tweensolution was added and the plate was let stand at room temperature for 2hours to block the plate. After the wells were washed with PBS-Tween,then after, 50 μl of a standard specimen in a serial dilution or eachculture supernatant diluted in a 1% BSA/PBS-Tween solution was added tothe well, and the plate was kept at room temperature for 2 hours. Afterthe wells were washed with PBS-Tween, 50 μl of a biotinylated anti-IL-4antibody (clone: BVD4-1D11, BD Pharmingen) diluted to 0.25 μg/ml in a 1%BSA/PBS-Tween solution was added and the plate was stood at roomtemperature for 2 hours. After the wells were washed with PBS-Tween, 50μl of an alkaline phosphatase streptavidin (Zymed) solution diluted to1.5 μg/ml in a 1% BSA/PBS-Tween solution was added and the plate was letstand at room temperature for 1 hour. After the wells were washed withPBS-Tween, 50 μl of 4-nitrophenyl disodium phosphate (Tokyo Kasei KogyoCo., Ltd.) dissolved in diethanolamine-hydrochloride buffer (pH 8.9) at1 mg/ml was added and the absorbance at 405 nm was measured.

The test results are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. An activity of inducingapoptosis of Th2 cells was observed in all the lactic acid bacteriatested (FIG. 3). Furthermore, the level of IL-4 produced by Th2 cellswas decreased, demonstrating that Th2 cells were indeed decreased byapoptosis (FIG. 4).

Example 5 Induction of Th1 Cell Apoptosis

Induction of Th1 cells: The CD4-positive T cells derived from the spleenof a DO11.10 mice were prepared at 5×10⁵/ml, and the antigen presentingcells derived from the spleen of BALB/c mice treated with 50 μg/mlmitomycin C (Sigma) at 37° C. for 30 minutes were prepared at1.5×10⁶/ml. Then, 5 μg/ml anti-mouse IL-4 antibody and 2 ng/mlrecombinant mouse IL-12 were added to the culture medium and the cellswere cultured for 7 days in the presence of 1 mg/ml OVA. Then, the cellswere collected and used as Th1 cells. The method of culturing cells andthe method of detecting apoptosis are the same as those in Example 2.

The test results are shown in FIG. 5. The strain L-92 was demonstratedto have an activity of inducing Th1 cell apoptosis. The results fromExamples 2 to 5 suggested that the strain L-92 may suppressoverexpression of activated T cells by inducing apoptosis in T cellsstimulated by an antigen.

Example 6 Induction of Apoptosis in Spleen and Mesenteric Lymph Nodes

To transgenic mice with OVA-specific T cell receptors (DO11.10 mice), 2%OVA (Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Cat. No. 012-09885) aqueoussolution was given as drinking water. The control group mice receivednormal CE-2 diet, and the L-92 group mice received CE-2 diet containing0.05% heat-killed L-92 cells. Also the non-treated group (NT group) micereceived normal water and normal CE-2 diet. Seven days later, the spleenand the mesenteric lymph nodes were excised, and the percentage of OVAantigen-specific T cells was determined by double staining with anFITC-labeled anti-CD4 antibody and a PE-labeled KJ1.26 antibody(OVA-TCR-specific antibody) using a flow cytometor.

The test results are shown in FIG. 6 (spleen) and FIG. 7 (mesentericlymph nodes). A decrease in antigen-specific T cells was also observedin these tissues of the animals, demonstrating that the strain L-92 hassome effect on the immune system and induces apoptosis inantigen-specific T-cells even when orally administrated.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The inducer of T cell apoptosis according to the present invention issafe when orally taken for a long period of time, because it comprises alactic acid bacterium. Further, it induces apoptosis of excess T cells,therefore it can be expected to prevent and/or cure an inflammatorydisease caused by excess T cells, such as an organ-specific autoimmunedisease or allergy.

1. An inducer of T cell apoptosis comprising as an active ingredient alactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genusBifidobacterium.
 2. The inducer of T cell apoptosis according to claim1, wherein the lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genusLactobacillus is a lactic acid bacterium selected from the groupconsisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus amylovorus. 3.The inducer of T cell apoptosis according to claim 1, wherein the lacticacid bacterium belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium is a lactic acidbacterium selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacteriumcatenulatum and Bifidobacterium longum.
 4. The inducer of T cellapoptosis according to claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacterium is alactic acid bacterium selected from the group consisting ofLactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (FERM BP-4981), Lactobacillus amylovorusCP1750 (FERM BP-10532), Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERMBP-10533) and Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERM BP-10531).
 5. A healthfood for inducing T cell apoptosis comprising a lactic acid bacteriumbelonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium. 6.The health food for inducing T cell apoptosis according to claim 5,wherein the lactic acid bacterium is a lactic acid bacterium selectedfrom the group consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (FERMBP-4981), Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532),Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacteriumlongum CP760 (FERM BP-10531).
 7. A novel lactic acid bacterium,Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532).
 8. A novel lactic acidbacterium, Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533).
 9. Anovel lactic acid bacterium, Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERMBP-10531).